Adventures in Machine Learning

Navigating Python List Duplication: Shallow Copy vs Deep Copy Explained

Shallow Copy vs Deep Copy: Which One to Use

Have you ever encountered a scenario where you needed to create a copy of a list in Python, but couldn’t decide between a shallow copy or a deep copy? While both types of copying can create duplicates of a list, they work differently and can produce different results.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the differences between shallow copying and deep copying in Python. We will also provide examples of each type of copying to help you understand when to use one over the other.

Shallow Copying

Let’s start with shallow copying. A shallow copy is a bit like creating a reference to an existing list rather than creating a new one.

This means that changes made to the original list will reflect in the copied list as well. A shallow copy only duplicates the outermost layer of the list and shares the internal references.

For instance, consider the following example:

original_list = [[1,2,3], [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]
shallow_copy = original_list[:]
original_list[0].append(10)
print(shallow_copy) # Output: [[1,2,3,10], [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]

In this example, we create a shallow copy of original_list and append 10 to the end of the first sublist in original_list. As expected, the shallow_copy of original_list also has 10 appended to its first sublist.

Creating Shallow Copies

To create a shallow copy of a list, we can use the slice operator, [:], or the copy() method. We can also use the list() constructor or the copy module’s copy() function.

new_list = old_list[:]
new_list = old_list.copy()
new_list = list(old_list)
new_list = copy.copy(old_list)

Deep Copying

Contrary to a shallow copy, a deep copy creates a copy of the entire list, including all internal objects. This type of copy is fully independent, and changes made to the original list do not reflect in the copied list.

Let’s look at an example to illustrate this:

import copy
original_list = [[1,2,3], [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]
deep_copy = copy.deepcopy(original_list)
original_list[0].append(10)
print(deep_copy) # Output: [[1,2,3], [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]

Here, we create a deep copy of original_list using the copy module’s deepcopy() function. We then append 10 to the end of the first sublist in original_list.

As expected, the deep_copy of original_list does not contain the appended 10.

Creating Deep Copies

To create a deep copy of a list, we can use the copy module’s deepcopy() function or the pickle module. Both methods create fully independent copies of the original list.

import copy
import pickle
new_list = copy.deepcopy(old_list)
new_list = pickle.loads(pickle.dumps(old_list))

Shallow Copying vs Deep Copying

Now that you understand the differences between shallow copying and deep copying, you may still be wondering when to use one over the other. The answer depends on the situation and your intention for creating a copy.

If you need to create a copy of a list to make simple modifications without affecting the original list, a shallow copy is sufficient. On the other hand, if you need to perform complex operations on a copy of a list without affecting the original list, creating a deep copy is advisable.

Some situations where a shallow copy might be useful include:

  • Removing or adding few elements to the list
  • Modifying elements in the list without affecting the original list
  • Iterating over the list without modifying it

Some situations where a deep copy might be useful include:

  • Making a backup of the original list before performing complex operations on it
  • Creating a separate instance of the original list for individual manipulation
  • Converting a mutable list to an immutable object

Conclusion

Shallow copying and deep copying are two methods of creating copies of lists in Python. While shallow copying and deep copying both create duplicates of a list, they differ in the references they share and the level of independence of the copied list.

Whether to use shallow copying or deep copying depends on the situation and your intention when creating a copy of a list. By understanding the differences between the two, you can make informed decisions and improve the efficiency of your Python code.

As discussed earlier, shallow copying and deep copying are different ways of creating copies of lists in Python. Both of these methods offer different levels of independence from the original list.

Differences Between Shallow and Deep Copying

Shallow copying creates a duplicate of the original list and references to the internal objects in the original list. Therefore, any changes made to the original list’s internal objects will reflect in its reference in the copied list as well.

Shallow copying is useful when you need to make minor modifications to the list while keeping the original list intact.

However, it’s important to note that shallow copying can have unintentional consequences.

For example, suppose you have a list of lists, and you want to copy the outer list only. In that case, a shallow copy will duplicate only the outer list, and the internal lists will still refer to their original ones.

Thus, a change to any of the internal lists will be reflected in the copied list as well. On the other hand, deep copying creates an entirely new copy of the original list, including its internal objects.

Any changes made to the original list will not reflect in the copied list. This level of independence is beneficial when you need to perform complex operations on a list and have the freedom to modify its internal objects independently.

Disadvantages of Deep Copying

While deep copying has its advantages, it also has some disadvantages. One major disadvantage of deep copying is its slow performance compared to shallow copying.

Deep copying involves creating an entirely new copy of the original list, including its internal objects. This operation can be time-consuming, especially for large and complex lists containing many objects.

Additionally, deep copying can be challenging to implement in certain situations. For example, suppose you have a list of objects with complex dependencies.

In that case, deep copying may result in unexpected behavior, such as breaking the dependencies. In this case, you may need to use a custom implementation that can handle the dependencies correctly.

In certain applications, deep copying can also have memory usage implications. Since deep copying creates a complete copy of the original list, it requires additional memory space.

Therefore, it may not be a feasible option for large and memory-intensive lists and may result in memory errors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the decision to use shallow copying or deep copying depends on the requirements of your project and the specific situation. Shallow copying is useful when making minor modifications to a list while keeping the original list intact.

Deep copying is useful when performing complex operations on a list and needing full independence from the original list’s internal objects. However, deep copying can be slow, difficult to implement correctly in certain situations, and may have memory usage implications.

Therefore, it’s essential to evaluate the requirements of your project and choose the appropriate copying method that provides the desired level of independence while being mindful of the associated disadvantages.

In conclusion, shallow copying and deep copying are essential concepts to understand when working with lists in Python.

Shallow copying provides a quick and straightforward way to create a copy of a list and make simple modifications without affecting the original list. At the same time, deep copying offers a fully independent copy of the list and its internal objects.

However, deep copying can be slower, more challenging to implement, and memory-intensive, making it important to consider the specific needs of your project before choosing a copying method. Understanding the differences between shallow and deep copying and using the appropriate method can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your Python code.

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